The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, each of which can be preferably applied to such an imaging apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, a digital MFP (Multi Function Peripheral), etc., that implements reserved jobs in each of which an image forming condition, such as a waiting mode, a proofing mode, etc., is attached to an image file concerned and each of which is registered in advance.
In recent years, various kinds of image forming apparatuses, including a digital MFP, etc., each of which is provided with a copy function, a printer function, a facsimile function and a communication function for communicating with external apparatuses, have been increasingly employed in the imaging field.
According to such the image forming apparatus as abovementioned, in such the case that a large number of print jobs are reserved so as to continuously conduct the print outputting operation of the print jobs reserved, when plural print jobs are separately accepted so as to conduct the print outputting operations of the accepted print jobs in the same printing section or when a new print job is accepted in mid-course of the image outputting operation, the reserved print jobs are store in a storage section to make them wait in the standby state, until the turn for implementing each print outputting operation, corresponding to an each individual print job, arrives. Then, at the time when the turn for implementing the print outputting operation of a print job, waiting in the standby state, arrives, the print outputting operation is commenced.
In regard to the image forming apparatus abovementioned, Tokkai 2002-225389 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication) (Page 8, FIG. 11) sets forth an image forming apparatus that is provided with a copy function, a printer function, a facsimile function and a communication function for communicating with external apparatuses. According to the descriptions set forth in Tokkai 2002-225389, the image forming apparatus is provided with an inputting section, a storage section, a display device and an image forming/outputting section, so that the inputting section is operated so as to input a print job therefrom, the storage section stores the print job inputted from the inputting section therein, and the display device displays such a print job that is currently in the standby state for waiting its turn to be commenced, among the print jobs stored in the storage section, which are to be outputted by the image forming and outputting section, thereon.
The image forming/outputting section forms and outputs an image on the basis of the print job stored in the storage section. On the abovementioned premise, the display device displays the print jobs, each of which is currently in the standby state for waiting its turn, in separate displaying modes being different between an implementable job and a non-implementable job. For instance, the image forming apparatus is so constituted that the display device displays a list in which contents of the print jobs, each of which is currently in the standby state for waiting its turn, are displayed in various displaying modes being different corresponding to non-implementable levels of the print jobs concerned.
According to the configuration of the image forming apparatus as abovementioned, it becomes possible for the user to determine whether a print job currently in the standby state is implementable or non-implementable, by viewing the list at first glance. In addition, it also becomes possible for the user to easily determine whether the setting conditions of plural print jobs currently in the standby state are suitable for the apparatus status of the image forming apparatus concerned.
However, according to the image forming system provided with the conventional image forming apparatus as abovementioned, when a large number of print jobs are reserved, and then, the print outputting operations based on the print jobs are conducted continuously, there have arisen such the problems as follows.
(1) According to the image forming apparatus set forth in Tokkai 2002-225389, it is determined whether each of the print jobs currently in the standby state is implementable or non-implementable, so that the display device displays the print jobs, each of which is currently in the standby state for waiting its turn, in the separate displaying modes being different between the implementable job and the non-implementable job.
However, when the waiting mode, in which the image forming conditions are displayed and the operation for implementing the reserved job is suspended until the user (serving as an operator) conducts the outputting operation, is established, it has been impossible for the user to recognize the time when the user stays at the apparatus side.
(2) Further, when the proofing mode, in which the printing operations of the concerned apparatus are disabled after a printing operation for a single copy in regard to the reserved job is completed irrespective of the total number of copies to be printed, is established, it has been also impossible for the user to recognize the time when the user stays at the apparatus side. Concretely speaking, when such the print job that makes the continuous printing operations disable at the waiting mode or the proofing mode is included in the reserved jobs, the conventional image forming apparatus set forth in Tokkai 2002-225389 has not been provided with such the feature for displaying a recognizable message on this matter. Accordingly, after a considerable time has elapsed since the concerned apparatus was stopped and the implementation commencement time for the reserved job concerned has passed, at the time when the user watches the display panel, the user manages to recognize the fact that the current job includes the waiting/proofing mode, at last. Therefore, a job including waiting/proofing mode has been one of causes for deteriorating the efficiency and productivity of the image forming system as whole.